Librarian - Academic Collaboration

It seems that, the more we discuss and engage with academics and researchers regarding the work that we do, the more work needs to be done to improve perception regarding 'what it is that librarians do' and, even more challenging: how can we work with academic and research community members to improve services that support research?

Quite disturbing was the report of an research support group for academic staff at one of the participating institutions. Issues and challenges faced specifically by academic staff in the course of their teaching work notwithstanding, what better way to exclude support staff, with which librarians are unceremoniously lumped? A statement about librarians as postgraduate students and researchers as 'not good enough' to be included in such activities? Hmmm.....

The challenge is loud and clear. How to penetrate the all-encompassing armour in which academia seems determined to envelope itself - that is the all important question!